


The Phantom Army

by orphan_account



Series: Phantom Army's legend [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-04
Updated: 2014-11-04
Packaged: 2018-02-24 02:14:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 13,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2564564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From the view of a sleek black she-cat called Shyla, she and the Phantom Army begins to rise, preparing to destroy the rumoured four clans. But what happens when they have a traitor in their ranks?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Night Watch

“It’s a stupid idea” I mutter, flicking my sleek black tail irritably across the musty bed, abandoned long ago by two legs.  
Jagger sat on the high dusty wooden shelf and flicked his dark golden ear, “She’s shown potential, besides, we’re short on officers”  
I grunt, “So you’ve decided to accept a kitty pet? You’ll be wasting your time”  
His eyes flash, “You don’t know that. She could save your life one day”  
“Dream on, Jagger.” I snicker, “Kitty pets are prisoners, they’ll never be part of the army. We need strong, capable warriors not some fluff that’s scared of her own shadow. Did you even ask the general?”  
He dodges my eye contact, his amber eyes blazing, “No, but Mars will agree, I know it“  
I glance through the cloudy window that stretched from the floor to the ceiling of the run-down two leg building, the bright crescent moon shone brightly. “Tch, I’m sure he will” I grunt, “I’m on watch tonight, you can go beg Mars to let you train that flea-bag, I don’t care”  
I leap off the bed without a reply, its rusty metal springs creaking with the disturbance. I pad through the door way confidently into the corridor. A cold wind blew through the cracked windows, sending the thin fabric curtains into a swaying dance. I sticked to one side, walking silently. I pass the medic’s den, the putrid smell of herbs wafts through the air and stings my nose.  
Bane steps out, his white paws sticky with a green poultice, “What’ve you been doing it there? It smells terrible” I meow, wrinkling my nose. The white tom with ginger splotches blinks his yellow eyes. “Oh, greetings Shyla. Sorry about the stench, I’ll fix it right away”  
I give a curt nod, “You do that, how’s Todd?” I mew, as much as I hated the stench; it was my duty to report to Mars about any news in the army.  
He shrugs, “It was an unnecessary wound, but he’s alright”  
“Has he explained how he got it?”  
He twitches his whiskers, “Yes”  
I cock my head, “Well?”  
He sighs, “He was playing at the rocky border, apparently chasing a butterfly” I snort but he continues as if I did nothing, “Tripped and his paw got trapped under a rock, as he fell the claw ripped out”  
I nod, “Just one?”  
Bane nods, “Luckily it was, he’ll be able to continue training after a few days”  
I slide out my claws, “we don’t have a few days, Mars needs –“  
“Mars needs to wait” Bane interrupts, “Todd still isn’t over his shock, he needs rest”  
I exhale noisily, “Very well, I’ll report to Mars tomorrow”  
Bane dips his head, “Thank you, and if you get the chance, tell his sister Petunia that he’s going to be fine”  
I shrug, “If I get the chance” I flick my tail in farewell and continue down the dark gloomy corridor.  
I turn to my right as I pass the corridor that lead downstairs; it also passed the grunts room. I headed down the stairs, placing my feet in a specific spot on each step to avoid any creaking. The air was cold down here; we kept the window fully opened to expose the grunts to the harsh elements. They were all huddled together in a corner. I passed without another thought. To my right was the temporarily out commission den, a small room for queens with an eye painted on the wall to remind them that we’re always watching… I smirk at the thought and turn left.  
I’m faced with another set of stairs that lead down to where we kept prisoners, AKA, the prisoners of war prison.  
It was a nasty place, with faeces and rotting food scattered on the floor. It was underground but we made a hole in the roof, high enough so they couldn’t jump out. It was originally for air flow but it turned into a sign of mockery.  
“What took you so long?” Zira growls and stalks from her post  
“Had to talk to Bane”  
“For what? Half the night?” She snarls, lashing her long furred red tail  
I shrug, “Well I’m here now, aren’t i?”  
She scrapes her claws across the stone floor, “Sometimes I really hate you, Shyla” but there’s friendly humour in her voice  
I take my spot right in front of the metal gate and look through the gloom. The moon shined down a beam of light onto the floor. Right now we had three prisoners; one was a kittypet, a stupid red she-cat named Sparkles and the one that Jagger wanted to train. Lately her stomach had begun bulging, the disgusting scrap of meat was going to give birth. The other two were loners; one was Iscariot, a dirty white tom with one yellow eye and blue eyes. He was a precious prisoner, very precious; he was seen coming from the direction of the clans. He’s wise and knows plenty of knowledge about them but he hasn’t ushered a single word since. As punishment, none of the prisoners will get food or water until he tells us something. The other is Sky, a pretty grey and white she-cat who was also a loner. She seemed to be the only one willing to tell us about the clans, but she knows next to nothing.  
“Water” I recognise the rusty voice of Sparkles, “P-please, water…”  
I yawn, “If you want water, perhaps you should ask your friend over there if he wants to tell us something”  
I see her head turn in the gloom to face the dirty white tom, “Please…” she croaked. For a moment I felt pity on her but I quickly dismissed it, pity is weakness.  
He stared at his paws and didn’t reply, “Well, I suppose no water for you” I mew wickedly.  
Iscariot glared at me, “You don’t need to punish them” he growls  
“Well… I wouldn’t but you know…. You’re not telling us anything, so why should i?”  
“Because without me you’ll have no way of knowing about the clans”  
I spit, “there are plenty of rogues that have information about the clans, you’re not the only one”  
“Oh, but I know more… I know the leaders, I know their strengths, weaknesses, I even know the weakest points in their territory….”  
I stare into his eyes odd eyes, “Liar”  
He shrugs, “Suit yourself”  
I couldn’t believe a prisoner just won an argument with me. I start to bristle, “Well have fun watching your kitty pet friend die”  
I see his jaw tighten and I smile in satisfaction. I look at the dirty ginger pelt of Sky lying in the back corner. “She dead?” I ask casually.  
He glares at me, “Why don’t you come and see for yourself”  
I slide out my claws in annoyance, “Just remember that you’re the prisoner here, we can kill you at any moment, we – “  
“Save your monologues for some other time”  
“Just shut up!” I snarl.  
I sit the rest of my watch in silence, listening to the whimpers of Sparkles and Sky, begging Iscariot to tell us the truth but he never replies.


	2. Training

I’d finished my watch and went to rest, when I got there only Zira was in the room. She lay on the bed, curled up tightly. I decided I didn’t want to disturb her and leaped up onto the shelf, it was stone cold. Jagger must have left a while ago. I settled down and started to lazily groom my sleek black fur. My pelt was completely black except for a small white ‘V’ on my chest and a white right paw. I was the youngest of the special task force members, I’m only 16 moons old, they offered me the spot when they realised how responsible this little black she-cat could be. Zira is the oldest at 32 moons old and Jagger is 21 moons old. I yawned as I finally finished grooming and doze off.  
When I woke, the sun was beaming through the window. No one was in the room. I give a great yawn and stretch my stiff muscles. I have a quick groom and leap down.  
Modred and Whisper dip their heads in greeting as I walk along the top corrider, “Morning, where are you two off to?” I meow  
Modred shrugs his broad calico shoulders, “nowhere” he mewed casually  
“We haven’t been assigned to any task yet” Whisper replied in her quiet, polite voice.  
I nod, “Go see Enya” Enya was Mars’s mate, and also the Lieutenant general. She gave out orders.  
They nod quickly and dash away. I headed in Bane’s den, it no longer smelled terrible.  
“Morning, Bane” I mew, the orange and white splotched tom was busily sorting herbs, he glanced up, “Morning” he mumbled.  
I sat down in the doorway. His room had gaps in the floor where he grew herbs, he also had a tree with it’s branches growing through the window. It grew some kind of berry.  
Bane looked up, “What do you want?”  
“You know what I want, how’s Todd?”  
He flicks an ear annoyingly, “I already told you, he needs a few days”  
“Can I see him” I walked past without his approval, as a member of the Special Task Force (STF) I’m allowed to go anywhere I please if it’s for the good of the Army.  
“Hello, Todd” I mew as I walk through the curtain.  
He’s on a nest of sawdust and moss and feathers, his paw is wrapped tightly in some curtain rags and leaves. “Shyla?” he mewed drowsily then widened his eyes and sat up respectively, “Sorry! I –“  
“Don’t appologise” I glance at his paw, “How is it?”  
He hesitates, “Fine, I can train today if you want”  
I flash Bane a look but he glares at me, “No, Todd, you need rest, I don’t want you to lose more blood” he instructs  
I look at Todd, challenging him. He darts his eyes around the room, not sure of which choice to choose.  
“Shyla?” A voice calls from the doorway; I give Todd a look to know that he’s off the hook. I pad out to see Azusa, the beautiful golden long-haired she-cat sat pretty in the doorway.  
“What?” I meow, I always hated her voice, it was so melancholy and high-pitched. Annoying.  
She blinks, “Oh, I just thought you’d like to see the grunt’s progress”  
I nod, “Alright, let me see what those fluff balls can do”  
The grunt’s training grounds where inside the walls of a run-down stone building. The roof had completely disappeared and the flood was made of dirt and rubble. Three cats stood in uniform line. Petunia, Myth and Gospel looked forward, dodging any eye contact.  
I walked towards them, nodding in approval. They all had strong bodies with thick muscle except for Petunia, the she-cat’s yellow eyes skitted around nervously as I inspected her closely.  
“Petunia, how long have you been training?” I ask  
“Exactly 5 moons ma’am” she mewed  
I nod and walk over to Gospel, the smoky grey tom had well groomed fur, his amber eyes were unlike his training mate. They looked forward with dignity and bravery. “Have you all been training for 5 moons?” I ask  
they all nod once. “Let’s see what you three can do” I meow grimly.  
Myth, a black tom with strange blue eyes stood opposite of Gospel. “Fight” I command.  
They are still at first but then Myth charges forward, he starts zigzagging across the dirt. Gospel watched closely for any sign of which direction he’ll attack. Myth leaps and Gospel side-steps and shoves Myth into the dirt. Myth retaliated by kicking Gospel’s stomach, making him flip over. Gospel recovered quickly and launches another attack but Myth leaps out of the way, they leap at the same time, clashing into each other. But Gospel is heavier and brings Myth into the dirt once again.  
I raise an eyebrow as Myth doesn’t move. “The fight is won, Gospel wins” I announce, Azusa nods.  
Myth retreats, he had no scratches but was huffing with exhaustion. Gospel had a small pinprick of blood trickling down his muzzle. I nod to Petunia, who’s shaking on the side line. “Petunia and Myth, fight” Petunia should have the advantage as Myth was already puffed out.  
Petunia ran in a straight line towards Myth and swerved at the last second but Myth had been expecting it and batted her back. She took too long to recover and Myth jumped on her, holding her down. She lay limp under the black tom.  
“The fight is won, Myth wins” I announce and stalk over to Petunia and jab her in the side. “What are you? A kittypet?! Get up, weakling!” I growl. She drags herself up, dodging my eye contact, Azusa walks up behind me. “She’s not usually this bad” she murmurs  
I flick my ear in annoyance. “Let’s go hunting”  
We walked towards the huge red run-down barn. It was full of Pigeons and mice and rats. I leaded and walked through the heavy wooden double-doors. “You will all hunt alone, whoever brings the most prey will be dismissed from den cleaning tonight” I meow and leap up onto a wooden shelf that looks over the barn. The three cat’s head off, creeping silently. The barn was full of hay and the beams that supported the roof were lined with bird nests. The birds usually left if they spotted a cat in the barn but so far they haven’t.  
I yawn as I wait for them to finish. They had all disappeared from sight and I occasionally hear the squeak of a dying mouse. Azusa cleans her paws beside me.  
“Is Petunia good at hunting?” I murmur quietly  
Azusa shrugs, “Honestly, she doesn’t have much talent fighting or hunting but she’s keen to learn”  
“Keenness doesn’t save you in battle; remind me, how many cat’s do we have in the army?”  
She falters, “Uh, 19 including prisoners”  
I spit in disgust, “Prisoners don’t fight in wars, how many kits?”  
“Morgaine is the only current queen, she’s supposed to give birth tomorrow”  
“Did Bane say how many kits?”  
She narrows her eyes, “Haven’t asked”  
I nod slowly, “I believe this is her third litter?”  
She nods, “Yes but the past two ones where….”  
“Unsuccessful” I finish, Morgaine is a silver she-cat. Quite elderly too, this may be one of her last litters. She’d given birth twice before but all the kits died, no one knew why.  
I stretch my neck and rolled my shoulders before making a tremendous pounce up into one of the beams, I knocked down an elderly pigeon and it crashed into the floor, breaking its neck. The rest of the pigeons flit around in fear but I leap down and they return to their nests.  
“Hunting time is done, come show me what you’ve got” I meow and pick up my kill  
Gospel appears first with two mice and a rat, I nod approvingly. Myth appears with three mice and a pigeon, “Well done” I murmur. Finally Petunia arrives with one old mouse that seemed to have died long ago.  
I look at her and she bows her head, “I’m so sorry, really I am, I don’t know what’s with me today”  
I turn to Azusa, “She usually catches a little more than this I suppose” she murmurs  
I nod, “Petunia, I’m going to have to extend your training if you don’t start concentrating”  
She starts to shake, “I promise, I promise I’ll do better”  
I flick an ear and pad out, “Training’s done for today, go sweep the den’s. Myth, good job, you can eat and rest without any den cleaning”  
He nods in appreciation and we walk back to camp in silence.


	3. Mars

It was sun-down. I hastily ate a mouse and padded up stairs. It was empty now, all the cats were on patrols or hunting or whatever Enya and Mars assigned them too. The windows in the upper corridor over looked the grunt training grounds. Beyond that was the barn and beyond that was the rocky barrier which marked our territory, it circled around our whole territory. And even beyond that were the woods where we often found wandering rogues and lost kitty pets, we bring them back for questioning. And even beyond that are rows and rows of two leg nests, then mountains and finally the clans which we hoped to claim one day. All the 5 original STF members went there moons and moons ago, Jagger and zira were among them. At the time they were the youngest out of the five members. But three of them died before they were able to properly observe the clans. Jagger and Zira being young and unsure were forced to run back.  
I take a deep breath to calm my mind and step in the medic den.  
“You again” Bane murmurs, he seemed to be writing something on a piece of flat wood with his claw.  
“Just coming for a report”  
“Todd’s fine, just leave him alone. He’s already thinking you’ll make him redo training” he grumbles  
I snort, “Don’t be absurd, we hardly have the time for that” I pause, “I came to ask about Morgaine”  
Bane stops scratching into the wood and looks up, “She’s… doing fine. She’ll give birth tomorrow”  
I cock my head, “Shouldn’t you be near her then? What if she has an early birth?”  
“I know what I’m doing” he grumbles,  
“And her kits? Will they live?”  
He takes a while before replying, “I’m not sure, Morgaine has had bad luck in the past but perhaps this time will be different”  
I curl my claws, “We need as many cat’s as we can, I’m not risking a few more officers on your messy predictions. Get down to the TOC den right now and watch over her”  
He glares into the old wooden bench, “Then I won’t be able to help Todd”  
“Todd’s going to be fine, his injury hardly deserves this much fuss! Go down now, that’s an order from a special task force member”  
He glares up at my but doesn’t say anything. “Do it or I’ll tell Mars you let them die” I growl. He slides out his claws but gathers his herbs and stalks down the corridor.  
I grunt and move on. When you just exit the stf den there are two stair cases on the right. One that leads to the lieutenant general and the other leads to the general’s den. But since they’re mates they both live in the general’s den. I padded up the stairs and scratched on the door. I flatten my ear’s awkwardly as I hear them flirting with each other inside. Mars answers, “Who is it?”  
“It’s Shyla, I’ve come to report, general” I meow  
“Come in”  
I walk in. The setting sun shines beautifully through the massive windows that covered half the room, Enya lay on their huge bed. It was triple the size we had in our den. Mars sat in front of the bed.  
I dip my head in respect, “The prey pile is full and I sent Petunia and Gospel to clean the dens. Todd, one of the grunts is recovering from a torn claw. He should be back on duty tomorrow. Morgaine is to give birth tomorrow, I already send Bane to stay with her”  
He nods approvingly, “Smart thinking”  
“I also tested the grunt’s today. Petunia, Myth and Gospel. They’ve all shown signs of good progress but…”  
“Yes?”  
“Petunia is showing lack of concentration, she was beat within seconds fighting Myth and only caught one mouse in the barn”  
He nods slowly, “Could it be the lack of her brother’s presence?”  
I blink, “Perhaps it is, I’m not sure”  
“Keep an eye on her” he instructs and I nod. “What about the prisoner’s? You were on watch last night weren’t you?”  
I nod again, “Yes… Iscariot, the white tom is showing no signs of giving up any information, Sparkles and Sky are dying”  
He stands up immediately, “That pigeon dung!” he spits through gritted teeth, “We can’t afford to lose any prisoners”  
“But they have no information, Sky already said what she know and Sparkles is a useless kitty pet”  
He nods, “Yes, Sky can die… But Jagger believes that Sparkles has potential”  
I widen my eyes in horror, “Are you going to offer her a place in the army?”  
He blinks slowly, “Jagger did have some good points… But I don’t trust her still”  
I sigh inwardly with relief but he continues, “But, if we gain her trust… she could tell us some things about the clans she’s kept secret until now”  
“She could lie to us” Enya meows from the bed, lazily flicking her wispy ginger tail  
Mars narrows his eyes in thought, “I’ll give her a chance but I’ll have a guard on her 24/7, if she tries to run or anything sneaky we’ll kill her. She can start training in two days.”  
I dip my head, “Yes, general. Shall I feed them?”  
He shakes his head, “I already gave Jagger that task. As for Iscariot… if he doesn’t tell us anything soon we’ll make him by force”  
I suppress a grin, “Of course, general”  
“That is all” he dismisses me and I turn to walk out, “Oh, and Shyla” he meows  
I turn my head, “I appreciate your loyalty and hard work. Have the rest of the day off, Zira can do the rest of your duties”  
I dip my head and slip out, silently closing the door behind me. I was looking forward to torturing Iscariot; the army hasn’t seen action for moons. My claws itch for the feel as you tear through fur and flesh. But Mars had his plans sorted out; he will attack the clans when we’re ready. For now I’ll just have to wait a little longer…


	4. Jagger

I sat on one of the crumbling walls that surrounded the training grounds. The sun failed to shine through the thick blanket of light grey clouds. Wind occasionally buffeted my black fur as I scanned the area down below. Azusa was teaching them a new complicated move and drilled them until they got it. Todd was sitting on the side lines; his torn claw was still bothering him. He was encouraging his sister who was trying hard to master the move but she was always too slow at the side step, allowing her opponent to easily knock her down.  
“You know, you don’t have to watch every step of their training” I hear Jagger’s voice behind me  
“I do, I need to watch Petunia” I meow. He sits beside me, the wind buffeting his fur  
“Azusa can watch Petunia, you need to train as well you know”  
I look at him, “I’m trained enough; I passed STF training didn’t i?”  
He grunts, “You were just lucky, anyways I could beat you in a fight and you know it”  
It was true, Jagger was much larger than me with dagger like teeth. “Yeah, well I could beat you in any hunting or racing competition” I retort  
“So? When you’re in war do you think you’re just going to run around every opponent or hunt until the forest is clean from prey?”  
I don’t reply and stare at Petunia down below, she hit the dust again. Azusa came stalking over and started lashing her tail while scolding her. Petunia backed down with her ears flattened and her tail between her legs. “Oh for Phantom’s sake” I mutter.  
“She’s not going to get better if all she gets’s are growls and scolding” Jagger mews  
“How would you know?” I snap  
“Because I used to be like her” He mew softly  
I scoff, “The oh-so-mighty Jagger used to be a weakling like her?”  
“If you just stopped pressuring her then maybe she would be able to concentrate! She has enough to worry about without having you grabbing for her tail with every move she makes”  
“I’m just doing what I can to make this army strong! What do you do? Fantasize about training some stupid kitty pet!” I snarl  
He snarls, becoming defensive, “She’s not stupid!”  
“She’s going to bolt for the woods the first chance she gets!”  
“No she won’t. Mars already agreed!”  
“Just because Mars agreed doesn’t mean she’s trustworthy! He said it himself!”  
He just stares at me with dark, amber eyes, “I’ll train her and she’ll be one of the best cats in the army, you’ll see”  
“No, I won’t see because she’ll be dead before leaf-bare comes”  
He gives me one last snarl before turning tail and stalking away. I let out a long sigh, ever since we got Sparkles prisoner me and Jagger had just been fighting. Did he really value her over me? I lower my gaze to my paws; Jagger only wants to help that cat. Maybe he’s even right, maybe she can be trained. But will it be enough?


	5. The Kits

I sat alone atop the wall until sun-high; Azusa led the group for some more advanced battle training on the small portion of forest that reached into our territory. The cat’s had to be ready to fight in any type of terrain. I shook my pelt and made my way down the wall. It crumbled at a section which was low enough to jump from. I leaped down gracefully and head towards the entrance.  
“Who dares to enter the Phantom’s keep?” A voice comes from inside. I grin as I realise it’s Cole’s voice, one of the officers and also my best friend.  
“It’s just me, Cole” He was on guard duty, a boring task to most cats but Cole never minded. I walk in, looking for him but I see no one. I narrow my eyes, “Cole?”. Suddenly a black shape ruptures for the shadows and bowls my over. Cole holds a huge grin while he pins me down, his crystal blue eyes sparkling against his black-stripped grey pelt. “Come on, Cole, I’ve got stuff to do” I wail playfully  
He groans, “Where were you yesterday? I looked everywhere”  
“Sorry, had to test some grunts” I mew and stand up, shaking my fur  
He smiles, “Remember when we were grunts? Always at each other’s throat”  
I roll my eyes, “How can I forget?” Cole is my best friend; we trained together under Jagger’s mentoring. At first we hated each other but he made us a pair in the final test and we were forced to work together, we finally found out we had so much in common and became best friends since.  
He sighs, “Well, I better let you do your ‘stuff’” I looked at him sadly. Since I’d become part of the STF I never really had time to hang out with him, we rarely get to even see each other. “Bye” I mew and pad off down the hall into the temporarily out of commission’s den AKA queen’s den. I sighed with relief as I saw Morgaine and Bane inside. Bane had three leaves on the floor with a variety of poultices on each. Morgaine stared at me with wide eyes, “I’m trying, I really am. I want them to live, I do” she mewed  
“I know, I don’t blame you for your past litters…” I soothe  
She winces.   
“They’re coming” Bane breathes. I walk out of the den, I never liked watching cat’s giving birth. It made my stomach turn and flip inside me. “’They alright?” Cole mewed, looking into the dark den behind me where Morgaine was screeching in pain  
“Fine” I mew tightly, crouching down in discomfort  
“You know, that might be you one day” he jokes  
I widen my eyes, “No way, I never want to have kits!”  
I see a flicker of disappointment on his face but it soon disappears, “I think they’re done” he mews and walks in the den. I follow, wrinkling my nose at the smell of damp, newborn kits. I saw four kits in a nest of feathers, one was a grey tabby with white paws and white facial highlights, another one was white with grey stripes like her mother and another one was an orange tabby like her father. “This one’s dead” Bane murmurs, nudging the smallest of the litter, a pale gray kit with feint stripes. Morgaine looks away, “Soon they’ll all die, just like last time and the time before”  
Cole sits next to her, “Don’t think like that” he soothed. I smiled; Cole was always so caring to everyone in the army.  
Cole looked up at me, “You can get Aiden if you want” he suggested, noticing my discomfort being so close to the squirming kits. I nodded thankfully; Aiden was their father, a handsome medium-haired ginger tabby with pale green eyes. I found him in the top corridor, grooming himself but the windows.  
“Aiden, Morgaine has given birth” I mew awkwardly, not sure how to deliver the news  
He widens his eyes and raced down without a word. Probably scared they’d be dead before he got the chance to see them. I think grimly.


	6. Sparkles

Instead of heading back into the crowded room full of cats and squirming kits I decide to check on the prisoners and see how they’re doing.   
I enter the dark, damp stone chamber. The metal gate separates us from the prisoners.   
I squint through the gloom and spot the ginger pelt of Sky and the dirty white pelt of Iscariot. I narrow my eyes, “Where’s Sparkles?” I demand to the still cats.   
Iscariot looks up first; his eyes seem to be duller than last time. As if he’s lost hope. Sky lifts her head slower, her eyes look unfocused. “Where is Sparkles?” I demand louder. I felt stupid for saying such a stupid word, who calls themselves ‘Sparkles’?  
Iscariot narrows his eyes, as if he’s having problems with understanding but he answers, “With Jagger, they left not long ago” Iscariot murmured with his foreign accent. I curl my claws in rage and stalk up the stairs to outside. I want to yowl with anger, why is he training her? Why is he so stupid? Ignorant! A fool!   
I close my eyes and calm down; I’d rather observe them from a distance than stalking right up to them. I leap up onto the crumbled walls of the training grounds and sure enough they’re there. The she-cat looked soft and weak, her stomach was really starting to bulge. Jagger stood in front of her, demonstrating the simple front slash. She tried it but she was slow and her claws didn’t even come out. I snicker to myself. I leap down, trying to my my entrance as intimidating to the kitty pet as possible. I walk with my tail high and my claws slightly unsheathed so they showed strongly against my black fur. “No, look. Just extend your claws and keep it extended while you swipe” Jagger meowed calmly. She widened her eyes and flattened her ears as she spotted me. Jagger meowed my name before he even turned, “Shyla, what are you doing here?”  
I give Sparkles an evil glare before replying, “Just watching” I mew and sit down. Sparkles looked even more scared than two Petunia’s combined. She tucked her red tail so much that it looked like she didn’t even have one. I contained a burst of laughter. Jagger gave me a filthy look but continued, “So, how about we try it now?”  
She blinked, “Try what?”  
“Swiping” he mewed  
She nodded hesitantly and swiped, it was shaky and no better than the last one. “Like this” Jagger mewed, still calm. He swiped so fast that he cut a mouse tail’s width of fur from Sparkles chest. She gave out a yelp and leaped back. He sighed, “Come on, try it”  
Jagger looked my way and I raised an eyebrow, ‘told you so’. Jagger shook his head, “Let’s try this tomorrow, you should go rest. She widened her eyes, “In the prison?”  
“N-no you can… sleep with the grunts. I’ll show you, come” he murmured and padded off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.


	7. Mates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a strange chapter

I sigh softly, and look across the land into the forest and imagine what lies beyond that. 22 cats… against a whole forest full of cats. Jagger says there were more than a hundred… so many cats… surely he was just seeing things…? It will take generations to get enough cats to fight them. Too long… too long… we need more queens. Whisper, Petunia, Enya, Zira, Azusa … me. I look at my paws, could I do it? Could I really… I shake my head, no… I couldn’t, I know I can’t… I’ll just… I scratched at the earth sub consciously, I know Cole loves me. I can see it in his eyes whenever he talks to me. He’s hinted it plenty of times in the past as well but I just don’t feel the same way. He would be a good mate; he’s caring and loving…. But I just can’t.   
“Shyla!” I perk my ears and look behind me, Cole comes bounding out and stops beside me. I look down, “You alright Shy?” He mews.  
I nod, “Fine, how are the kits?” I meow, changing the subject.  
“They’re all healthy, they’re feeding now. Bane says they have a good chance of living and is feeding Morgaine heaps of herbs to make her milk better for them.”   
I nod, “That’s good…”  
He looks into my eyes, “Something’s bothering you, you can tell me” his eyes looked like calm, caring pools of water. For a moment I just wanted to burst and start sobbing. But instead I look for an excuse, “I was just thinking about Iscariot, he still hasn’t answered any questions”   
He narrows his eyes but nods, unconvinced, “He’ll come around, he’s already losing hope of ever escaping”  
“But that’s the point, he knows even if he tells us we’ll still keep him in there” I mew, genuine interest sparks  
He shrugs, “There’s always… torture” He lowered his gaze. Cole never liked to torture cat’s for information. I nod, trying to act sad even though I was keen to torture Iscariot. “Yes, we will if there’s no other choice…”  
“There’s always another choice! Torture is just wrong. Please, please don’t do it” he pleaded  
I felt my heart twist; “I should go… things to do” I murmur and awkwardly pad away. I never liked arguing with Cole, especially about these type of things. I feel guilty and angry at the same time. Angry because he acts like a frightened kit. I feel a growl form in my throat but I swallow it down and leap up the stairs, I felt hungry and tired. Whisper joined me walking up the stairs, she had a fat pigeon in her jaws. I nod, “Nice pigeon” I mew as we reach the food pile that’s just at the top of the stairs.  
She nods and sets it down, “Thank you” she mewed quietly and starts to walk away.   
“Wait, would you share a pigeon with me Whisper?” I call  
She hesitated, “Of course, Shyla”  
She settled down uncomfortably while we ate. I could tell she was desperate to know why I wanted to share food with her. “Whisper….” I start, “I often see you and Mod together”  
She blinks, “Modred?”  
I nod, “Are you two mates yet?”   
She widens her big, innocent blue eyes, “No, w-we’re not”  
I felt my heart drop but I try again, “You know, he’s a great tom”  
She shuffles, “Yes… I suppose but”  
“But?”  
“Well… it’s complicated. I suppose I like him but he just doesn’t notice”  
I feel my heart bloom with hope, she likes him! I keep still, trying to hold my excitement, “Tom’s are stupid like that”  
I see her hint a smile and she nods. “But I do want kits, to protect them and nurture them. I really do” She mewed, her voice just over a whisper.  
I bite my tongue to stop myself from grinning ear to ear. “That’s great, Whisper. Kit’s are loved and cared for by the army”  
She shrugs, “Yeah, but I’m only 14 moons old”  
“Of course, take your time” I mew quietly and walk away, hope for new kits blooming in my chest.


	8. Betrayal

It was sundown, the soft yellow light beautifully filtered through the window and curtains. If cat’s were done with chores they could lie in the corridor and soak up the warm rays. I gave a big stretch and settled down again, grooming my fur. Soon Bane, Azusa and Modred joins me in the corridor.   
Azusa sits on the window sill, sitting in a way so the light shines beautifully on her fur. I see Bane watching her intently and I roll my eyes. Azusa acted oblivious and continued to lick her paw. I groan and slump down so I didn’t have to watch him. “Jealous?” I jump as I hear Zira’s voice behind me. I stare at her, “no way!”  
She smirks, “You want all the attention, you’re in heat”  
I glare at the floor, “No, I’m just… sick of watching her acting like she’s the queen”  
She cocked an eyebrow, “Well; she does have every tom hooked. I’ve even caught Aiden staring at her”  
“Never, he’s loyal to morgaine”   
She shrugs slightly, “Morgaine’s getting old, soon he’ll seek another she-cat” She looked through the window. I followed her gaze, no one was in the training grounds but it reminded me of Jagger and Sparkles.  
I roll my eyes and look away, “Jagger’s an idiot if he thinks he can train that lump of fur” I mutter  
“Hm? well they are making some progress”   
I ignore her, “Like, why not Sky? At least she’s used to being alone and can fend for herself”  
Zira turns to me, “Jagger has been training grunts for moons, he knows potential when he sees it”  
I huff, “Yes but surely Sky has more potential”  
Zira flicks her tail, “If you think Sky has potential, you can train her”  
I look up, “Train a loner? A prisoner? I’d be just as bad as Jagger!”  
“Remember…” she mews, “Mars did agree”  
I shuffled; I didn’t like denying the general.  
Zira stands up and yawns, “Well, I’m going to go sleep in a proper bed”  
“Bye” I mumble. Every time I see Jagger he’s always with that cat. I look outside. I scrape my claws against the wooden floor. The sun started to disappear and the air became cold, Bane left and entered the den but not before he flicked his tail, asking Azusa to follow him. I felt uncomfortable sitting right outside the den, I didn’t want to hear anything. I padded down the corridor to my den, Zira and Jagger were inside. “Hi” I mew and jump onto the bed where Zira was grooming herself.   
“Anyways, I’m just saying that perhaps we’re biting off more than we can chew” Jagger continued, I realised they were in a conversation. Zira sighed, “Well we’re not going to invade now, Mars has his plans…”  
“He says that, he acts like that. But does he really? Mars is getting old, perhaps it’s time for a new –“  
I bolt up, bristling, “How dare you question Mars! He let you train that lump of fur instead of doing proper STF chores! How could you –“  
He glared at me, “Be quiet Shyla, Zira and I are having a conversation” he talks as if I’m a young kit, and they’re having a big grown-up conversation. I feel my blood start to boil.  
I glare back at him, “An STF member has the right to join conversations if it’s for the good of the army” I recite.  
He rolls his eyes, “honestly, I don’t know why Mars picked you for a member of the special task force. You’re like a blind puppy! You have no morals, no secrets. You’re an open book and… ohhh that’s why Mars picked you. Because he knew you’d be loyal to him, following his orders like –“  
“That’s enough!” I screech and leap from the bed onto the shelf where he sat. I had my claws outstretched, and smashed into Jagger. He lost balance and fell to the floor, staggering to his feet. I let out a vicious snarl and leapt down, crashing into him. He sent out lashes and bites and retaliated by flipping me over strongly. I lay of the floor, breathless, a warm trickle of blood flowed into my eye. He glared down at me, and I saw a fire in his eyes, like he was finally going to get what he always wanted. He raised his paws, ready to ram down on my windpipe. “Stop!” I heard Zira yowl and she leaped into Jagger, bowling him over. She was more experienced than him in fighting, he surrendered. She stepped on his chest, he claws unsheathed. “Jagger, you bastard! You were about to kill her!” Zira growled  
Jagger still had that fire in his eyes but it started to die down. I saw cat’s crowd in the hallway. I felt my fur grow hot with embarrassment and sat up, groaning, I had several scratches and my tail bone stung sharply from hitting the floor. The light died from Jagger’s eyes, “She attacked me first, you saw it”  
She still didn’t let Jagger up, “You’re older than her! Act like it!” She hissed before stepping off him. Mars walked in, eyeing me and Jagger. I felt overly embarrassed, I’m so stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I scowl at the ground. Bane told the cat’s to leave and inspected my injuries. “What happened” Mars rumbled, his dark crimson pelt was freshly groom but no less menacing.   
Jagger looked up, “My fault” he growled, “I said something I shouldn’t have, Shyla attacked me because of it and I retaliated”  
Mars’s eyes were calm but angry at the same time. “Fool, I expected more from you Jagger” He murmured, “Shyla, go to Bane’s den. Jagger, you’ll be on chores until Shyla gets better”  
“But what about –“ Jagger started, he seemed outraged   
Mars glared at him, “Are you arguing with me? That kitty pet can go in the prison until I free you from chores”  
Jagger glared so hard at the ground I thought it might burn. “Am I clear?” Mars growled  
Jagger was silent for a moment, “Yes, Mars” he finally meowed.   
“Good, anymore of this nonsense and I’ll keep that flea bag in the dungeons until she’s a bag of bones” He growled  
Jagger tensed but said nothing. Mars left, trotting up the stairs to his den. Bane beckoned me to his den, helping me by letting me lean on him. I felt Jagger’s stare on my back every step I took, my neck fur started to rise. Jagger seemed so vicious, so blood thirsty at that moment. It was like he didn’t even know I was his friend… am I his friend? I question myself.


	9. Bane

“Shyla? Come on, let’s get you fixed up” Bane brought me back from my thoughts. I nodded and limped inside the den. Azusa was nowhere to be seen. Bane motioned his tail to a nest, I lied down. “It was my fault” I confess as Bane starts mixing a poultice, the spicy aroma wafting around the den.   
“Jagger told another story” he murmured, taking a bowl-shaped leaf filled with a red powder off one of his wooden selves and added it in the mixture. I sigh, “He knew it wasn’t true, he just didn’t want to be punished so bad. I attacked first“  
“Why did you attack?” He meowed, walking over to me and dabbing on some of the thick poultice into the scratch above my eye with some of the curtain fabric.  
I tilt my head to give him an easier view, “He said that I was just like a slave! That I do things without even thinking twice and that I’m just like a puppy dog!”  
He looks up, “And do you think that’s true?”  
I falter, “What? No! Of course not, I have morals”  
I nods, returning his gaze back to my cuts, “You’re loyal Shyla… but sometimes, you should remember that you’re allowed to have your own thoughts”  
I let out a faint hiss, “I have my own thoughts!”  
He kept quiet for the rest of the time while he dabbed my scratches with the thick red ointment. He presses on my tail bone, “Ow!”   
He looks up, “Sorry, did you fall on it?”  
“Yes” I growl, remembering how easily he flipped me over.  
He nodded, “It’s inflamed very badly, you should rest for at least a moon” I open my mouth to argue but he continues, “Remember, Jagger is doing your chores so just relax”  
“But… but… a moon?!” I exclaim  
He nods, “If you injure it more you could lose feeling to both your back legs. Do you want to lose your back legs?” It was a rhetorical question.  
I lower my head in sadness; can Jagger even keep up with the chores? The army is going to become so disorganised! Argh! Chores aren’t even a punishment, he’s meant to do them in the first place.   
I sigh loudly as Bane moves away to tidy his supplies. Could Jagger be right? I think, Could Mars actually not know what he’s doing?


	10. Freedom

It’s been 5 sunrises since my fight with Jagger. I rested in my nest; I could still smell the faint scent of Todd. I roll my shoulders, itching to do something. I looked around the sectioned off room, it was separated from the main den by a sheet of curtain in the short doorway. It was torn and yellow with age. There was a small colourful window just above the nest and in the morning the sun would shine through it and send dazzling colours onto the wooden floor. There was a bowl of water, changed daily by Bane and even a flat wooden circle where he placed my fresh-kill. It was left long ago by the twolegs. There was a strange wooden thing on the wall opposite of the stained window, it had a dusty white circle in the centre of it with strange two-leg language evenly spaced around the inside. Occasionally it would tick with its thin little sticks but most of the time it stayed silent. “Baaaaaaaaane” I moan in boredom  
I hear clunks and shuffles from the main den before he enters my room, “What?” He meows, clearly annoyed. I look at him, “I’m bored and my tail bone is fine”  
He rolls his eyes, “What do you want? A feather to play with?”  
“I want someone intelligent to talk to. Could you get Zira?”  
He bristles, “I’m intelligent” he meows indignantly   
I blink innocently, “I never said you weren’t”  
He hisses under his breath but walks out of the room. Moments later Zira enters, she casts me a sympathetic glance. “I don’t want your sympathy” I mutter  
“I know, but it must really suck being stuck in here with only Bane to talk to”  
“Hey! I heard that!” Bane calls   
Zira chuckles, “Jagger’s coping with the chores though most of the time he’s in the prison. You should see how nice it is in there… polished floor, huge pile of prey, feather nests”  
I gape, “No!” I gasp  
Her eyes glimmer and I realise she was joking. I roll my eyes, “Not funny. So how are things really?”  
She sighs, “Jagger is almost never here, whenever he comes back he smells weird… like the forest. He says he’s looking for more rogues but he never comes back with any, only the scents. The kits… only two have survived so far, the white and grey tabby she-kit called Ash and the grey tabby Malikai”  
I droop my ears, just like Morgaine’s last three litters; the kits were being picked off one by one. “So” I sigh, “What else?”  
She flicks an ear, “Sparkles is pregnant so she hasn’t really been training, Bane has been checking up on her a few times and said it’s not likely any will survive. The grunts are doing great; Petunia is improving but is still a little behind. Todd has begun training but he has a lot to catch up on… hmm… Azusa said she wants to start their final assessment in possibly half a moon”  
I nod, “Half a moon… sounds good. Also, tell the officers to start training as well.”  
She looks at me and I duck my head, “Sorry… didn’t mean it like that. You can ask Enya or Mars first…” I mew, I was moons younger than Zira and she didn’t like being ordered around.  
She gives me a cool look, “Sure” she pauses, “How do you feel?”  
“Fine, nothing is wrong with me. I’m so bored in here, I wish I could go outside” I mutter, twitching my tail.  
“Well, I should go… need any more prey?”  
I shake my head, “Nah, I’m fine”  
“Okay. Bye” she slipped out but not before winking at me. I stare after her in confusion. She walks out, brushing through the curtain with her long haired tail swishing.  
I heard her talking to Bane, “Hey Bane, wanna go train a little? I need to practice my moves on something”  
I could hear his suspicion, “Why?”  
She sighed, “Jagger’s always out and the others are busy” she pauses, “Please?”  
He sighs, “Fine, but don’t kill me”  
I widen my eyes in realisation as they walk out. Zira never asks anyone to train with her; did she do it so I could sneak out? Without waiting for another moment, I sneak out, my paws tingling with excitement.


	11. Eavesdropping

I straighten my back as I walk through the corridor and down the stairs. I wanted to see what Jagger was up to. I felt a growl rise in my throat as I remembered our fight. My first guess was the forest but I had a feeling in my gut and headed for the dungeon instead. I pad through the bottom corridor, no cats in site. Not even a guard stationed at the entrance… I quicken my pace. I freeze as I hear a voice coming from below. I narrow my eyes, Jagger? Then I roll my eyes, of course. I crouch behind a stone pillar, careful to not make any noise. Jagger continues, “Sparkles… I believe you, it’s not your fault” I peek out, no one seemed to be inside the cage except Sparkles… where were the others?  
“No. It is. It’s my fault. If I didn’t want to get trained you wouldn’t have been punished”  
“I wanted you to train. It’s not your fault!” I heard desperation in his voice  
It was quiet for a while and I thought of sneaking back out but Jagger spoke again, “It was Shyla’s fault” I slide out my claws automatically, “She should be more accepting. If it weren’t for her you wouldn’t be stuck in here! We could have already made our escape…. Together”  
I widened my eyes, what?! Jagger wants to leave?!  
“I love you” I heard Jagger murmur and I felt like screeching my head off as Sparkles replied, “I love you too, Jagger”. This could mean exile, Jagger can’t love a prisoner! And how dare he consider leaving the army in such a time? Selfish! I fume with rage; This was why he wanted to train her! She doesn’t have potential! Jagger almost killed me because of that mange-pelt! How could he betray us like this?   
“I should go” Jagger meows. Crap. I glance around but Jagger is already heading my way, I can’t get out in time. I tucked my white paw under my chest and shuffled closer to the wall. I see Jagger walk past and hold my breath. He stops. I tense. He sniffs the air, “Why does the air…. Smell like…” He turns his head and sees me, shock and anger in his amber eyes “Shyla!”


	12. Traitor

For a moment we were frozen, staring into each other’s eyes, unsure of what to expect. He starts first, “Why are you spying on me?”  
My brain finally flicks on and I reply, “I shouldn’t be the one needing an explanation! What were you doing talking to the prisoner?!” I feel a growl rise in my throat  
He glares at me, “I was just feeding them”  
I snort, “Oh, sure! That surely explains why you don’t have a wiff of prey on you!”  
I hear the soft kssh as his claws scrape the ground, “I’m staying to my word”  
Suddenly I feel very small but I stand straighter, “I heard you. You love her. You love a prisoner!” I blurt out.  
His eyes flash, “You’re going to tell Mars” he meowed flatly  
I widened my eyes, I knew that look… that look he gave me when we fought, when he was about to smash my throat. “Jagger…” I trailed off, not knowing what to say. I had never been more scared before in my life. “You can promise to not utter a word, swear to the gods… but I know you Shyla. You’re going to go tell Mars and get me killed”  
“Jagger I don’t want to kill you”  
“Good, this just makes it a lot easier” He meows wickedly  
I leap out of the way as he rakes his claws against the stone wall I was just standing at. He snarls and leaps at me. I don’t have enough space to move and he tackles me down. “Jagger stop!” I hear sparkles cry from the prison but I barely hear it. I’m too focused on not getting killed.  
I try to flip him over but he’s like a stone block. He snaps his jaws at my face and I snap back, tearing a little off his ear. I rake at his belly, trying to get him off but my legs just don’t have enough room to do any damage. I roll over, hitting him against a wall of stone. He grunts with pain and I take my chance, I dig by teeth as deep into his neck as I can. He yowls with agony and leaps off, I hear Sparkles cry with fear. I leap up, glaring at him. His eyes seem to be red and dark blood drips from his neck.   
“Shyla” He snarls  
“Traitor” I snarl back and he leaps at me once again but I’m prepared.  
I jump sideways and swat a sharp stone at him, it cuts into his pelt and he lashes out with rage.   
I drive into him, knocking him down and run for the stairs. He gives out a screech and reaches for me, grabbing my hind foot. I yowl in pain as his claws sink into the flesh and I’m hauled backwards.   
He pins me down, his paw set on my neck, claws unsheathed.   
“Jagger don’t” I choke  
He glares at me, his eyes like daggers, “You know what I’m going to do once you’re dead? I’m going to find Enya by herself and kill her then I’m going to sneak into Mars’s room and deliver this awful, awful tragedy.” He said it so sarcastically I wanted to gouge his eyes out but I could feel life escaping my body “Then I’ll kill him while he’s grieving. Then I’m going to kill Zira. And then I’ll become general and everyone will bow down to me”  
“You can’t…” I feel the life fade from me, I grasp out for it desperately but I can’t reach. My lungs scream for air but I barely notice. I tried…


	13. Awaken

“Shyla!... Shyla…! Shy…! Please…!” The words sounded distant, distorted. I couldn’t comprehend them, like meaningless sounds. But the voice continued, “Shyla wake up…! Wake….. Up!” I felt like I knew it, but all my thoughts felt broken and numb. I started to feel a strong rocking sensation, accompanied with the same words, “Shyla!!! Wake up! Please!” The voice was clearer, more distinct. I knew it… who was it…  
I felt air enter my lungs; I felt my paws tingle as they were brought back to life. I opened my eyes and in my face was the blue eyes of Cole.  
“Cole…” I breathed and let out a weak cough  
“Shyla who did this to you?!” I saw his eyes fill with a blue fire  
“Ja… Jag…” I was thrown into a fit of coughs  
“Shhh, I’ll get Bane alright? Stay here” He mewed  
“Where is…” I wheezed but Cole was already racing up the stairs.   
I shifted so I could see more of the prison, the prison gate was open. I felt my neck bristle, what is he going to do now? Suddenly I remember the terrible thing Jagger told me before I passed out, “You know what I’m going to do once you’re dead? I’m going to find Enya by herself and kill her then I’m going to sneak into Mars’s room and deliver this awful, awful tragedy. Then I’ll kill him while he’s grieving. Then I’m going to kill Zira. And then I’ll become general and everyone will bow down to me”  
I widened my eyes; he could have killed Enya already! I struggled to my paws but they gave out beneath me, I let out a low moan of frustration. My hind leg was covered in dried blood, it must’ve been a while since I passed out.   
I felt so helpless.   
I tried to stand again but I just crashed into a stone pillar and dropped to the floor. I was frantic now, wobbling and crashing.   
I stopped. Think! Calm down and think!   
I rose slowly, my legs felt like jelly as they trembled beneath me. The world spun and I closed my eyes, leaning against the stone pillar. When I opened them I forced the world to still and hobbled up the stairs. It was slow and agonizing but I had to tell someone. Now.  
“Cole” I meow as loud as my poor voice would allow, “Cole..!”  
I hear loud pawsteps of two cats as they race down. Cole appears, racing to my side. Bane bounds over, a bundle of herbs in his jaw. “Shyla, lie down!” Cole nudged me but I refused.   
“No, Jagger… He’s going to kill Enya!”


	14. Finding Her

They stared at me, finally Cole spoke, “What?”  
“He did this… t-o me” I cough, my throat felt like sandpaper  
“No! It can’t be” Bane said, his eyes wide  
I shook my head, “He did. He let Iscariot and Sky and Spar –“ I hated saying her name, it was a stupid name. Too stupid of a name for me to say, “The kittypet… he let her out. I don’t know where they are… we need to find them…” I wheezed and fell to my side. Bane crouched at my side and gave me a plump leaf to chew.  
I swallowed it quickly. Cole was rigid, staring at the ground, “Jagger… that mange-pelt. I’ll skin him alive for this”  
“We need to find him! Where is everyone else? Where’s Enya?”   
“Enya went out to hunt in the forest like she always does when it’s this weather” He twitched his tail to outside, it’s thick with dark blue clouds. “Jagger told all the remaining cats who were guarding here to scout the rocky border… he said he saw other cats there running away with the other prisoners”  
“Why would you do that?”   
Cole flashed anger in his eyes, “I didn’t know! We were told to obey orders from him!” He took a breath, “So we went and no cats were there. I suspected it was a trick so I came back here while the others were still looking around” I looked into my eyes, “Then I found you, bloodied and broken”  
“I’m fine” I growl but wince as Bane applies some more sticky leaf juice onto my hind leg.  
“Find Mars, tell him that Jagger is going to kill Enya! And find the other cats!” I call as he goes racing up the stairs.  
I wait, feeling time tick by, itching to do something. “Would you sit still?” Bane muttered  
“Sorry” I mew and try to still  
After a while I stand up, Bane jumps back, “Sorry but I can’t wait any longer, go tell Cole” I meow and bound towards the exit without a response. I hear an excited mew behind me and turn around. Two brilliant blue eyes stare up at me, “Shyla! Shyla! Where are you going?”  
I widened my eyes as I recognised the little tom as one of the new-born kits. His grey striped pelt was on end in excitement “Get out of here Malikai!” I hiss  
He blinks his eyes, “Are you going on an adventure? I want to come!”  
I felt frustration prickle through my fur, “No” I say sternly, “Go back to your mother. Now.”  
“But –“  
“No! Just go okay? I don’t have time for your nonsense!”  
First I headed towards the rocky border but that would take too long, it’s on the other side of the territory with the forest so I turn tails and sprint towards the forest. He said he’s going to kill Enya… I can’t let that happen.   
My hind leg struggles to keep with my pace so I slow down. The juice Bane trickled onto it was doing well to numb the pain but the fiery feeling was starting to come back. I was in the wide plain, the Barn for hunting was to my right, the Phantom Army keep was far behind me. I took a breath, What if she’s already dead? What if…   
I shake my head, shut up! I yell at myself and start into another run. I see the tall dark pine trees loom before me, the dark shadows that fall beneath them are inviting but I head through anyways. I crouch down, trying to catch a scent. Nothing. I walk a few paces forward, scanning the ground for marking. Ah hah! I bend down to sniff a paw print, they were soft and cautious. Sparkles…   
They were quite fresh, maybe an hour old. An hour! I hiss under my breath, they could be anywhere! I continue my trek, jumping as a clap of thunder lights up the sky above the trees.   
I sniff faster; rain was going to come soon. I followed Sparkles tracks and soon they joined another pair, Jagger! I walk faster, following the tracks as best I can.  
I slow as they become fresher, Sparkle’s tracks disappear at a tree but Jagger’s continue. I flatten my ears as another clap of thunder brings down rain. No! I sniff at the ground where Jagger’s tracks should’ve been but only the smell remains. I felt like tearing my fur off!


	15. The Final Battle

Suddenly my neck bristled; I turn around, expecting to see Jagger or… anyone. Nothing. My neck was on end, I turned and turned but I could see nothing through the rain. “Shyla!” I hear the soft voice call  
I gasp and look up, Sparkles pale green eyes look down on me. I start to bristle but before I can utter a word she talks again, “Shyla come up! Please! Jagger is coming!”  
I perk my ears and look around, but nothing’s there. I clap of thunder sent more bucketfuls of rain and I reluctantly climbed the tree. “What do you want” I growl and I haul myself up.  
Her eyes are wide and scared, “It’s Jagger! He has an army”  
I spit in disgust, “Why should I believe you? You turned him into a traitor!”  
“Please! I didn’t want this to happen, I don’t want Enya to di –“  
“Of course you do!” I almost yowl, “Why wouldn’t you? Once Jagger has him plan complete you’ll be Lieutenant General!”   
She shrunk down, “Please… I don’t want anyone to get hurt… but you have to know. He isn’t alone. He’s going to attack the keep!”  
I looked into her eyes; they were wide with real fear. Not from me but from something else… could she be telling the truth? Zira’s words flash in my mind, “Jagger is almost never here, whenever he comes back he smells weird… like the forest. He says he’s looking for more rogues but he never comes back with any, only the scents…  
“Where is he now?” I demand  
She shakes, “I-I don’t know. He told me to stay here! He said he had to do something and I couldn’t be there because I could stuff it up”  
I dip my claws into the wet bark, I look up, “Where did he head?”  
She blinks, “Uh… that way, deep into the forest”  
I turn my head, Enya never hunted deep in the forest. I look back at her, staring into her eyes, “If you lie to me, I will come back here and strip your pelt off and leave you to rot” I growl in a low, dangerous voice.  
She nods shakily, “I swear he headed that way”  
I give her a nod, “Follow me, for all I know this could all be a trick”   
She opens her mouth to argue but falters and follows me.  
It was night now, the sky was pitch black. I was having trouble seeing through to thick rain.  
Sparkles steps were loud behind me from her pregnancy as our paws sloshed through the slick mud. “Enya!” I yowl at the top of my lungs but the thundering rain drowns out my voice.   
I feel defeated. Lost. Alone. Sparkles walked up beside me, “I… heard a yowl… over there” She flicked her soggy ear to our left.   
I eyed her suspiciously but I had no other lead. I walked on, my pelt dragging me down.   
I felt to rain lighten a little, now it was a soft hum. I heard something else, a yowl. I flicked my ears up, Enya? I started to sprint, trusting my ears and instinct.  
I came to a clearing and hid behind a tree. Jagger was right there. He was blocking something… he shifted and I caught the orange hair of Enya. Her body was trailed with blood and she lay limply on a rock. I let out a soft hiss and glance back at sparkles, “Stay here”  
She nodded. I didn’t trust her but I was running out of time. I crept up, trusting the rain to drown out my scent.  
“Enya, Enya” I heard Jagger tut and Enya hissed but she couldn’t move, like she had a broken leg or something. “What should I do with you…” Jagger murmured. I stiffened and he turned, sniffing the air but he soon dismissed it, going back to his victim.   
“Y-you’ll… die for this you… t-traitor” Enya gasped  
Jagger laughed, “Of course I will” He meowed sarcastically, “Now… if that’s all you have to say…” He help up his paws, his claws covered in blood.   
“Alright, come out! Who wants to see Enya die?” Jagger yowled and figures emerged from the bushes behind the rock. Cats, at least twenty of them. I widened my eyes and shuffled backwards, there was no way I could fend them off by myself.  
The clump of cats looked messy and scrawny like rogues on the run. They yowled in anticipation.   
“Say good bye, Enya!” He hissed and began to bring his claws down. Time slowed, I felt a jolt of electricity go through my and I start racing towards Jagger.   
I ploughed through the crowed of cats and gave a great leap, ramming Jagger off the rock.   
He stared up at me, “Shyla? But how…”  
I growl, “I’m not dead yet, it’s going to take a lot more to kill me”  
He snarls in my face, “Oh really? I’m glad you came to join the show… I was just about to kill pretty Enya here”  
He pushed me off of him and I bristled, my fur spiked from the rain. I could feel the stares of the rogues around me, ready to kill me at any second. “You can’t do this Jagger” I meow  
“I already have” He hissed and looked at one of his rogue friends, “Kill Enya!”  
“No!” I screech as the scrawny grey tom leapt up and sunk his yellow teeth into her neck. She gave out a soundless yowl, her eyes wide as her life left her. I stared, unbelieving.  
As I was distracted, Jagger bowled me over and once again he had his paw at my throat. His eyes glittered against the dark sky, “The time has come Shyla… The phantom army is weak” he spat, “But when I become leader, I will lead the rogues and the officers and finally take the forest”  
“Th-they’ll never join you” I spit  
He snarls, “I’ll make them join me. And if they refuse… they’ll die just like Enya”  
“No, we won’t” a voice boomed from across the clearing, the rogues hissed at the newcomer but backed away when more cats appeared. Mars was in the lead, his eyes flaming with such rage I could feel it in the air.   
Jagger pressed harder on my neck, “Step closer and I’ll kill her”  
Mars didn’t back down, his face twitched with anger, “I’ve given you too many chances Jagger. From the day you were born I could tell you weren’t loyal, you would’ve killed me for a rotten mouse”  
Stop! I wanted to scream, Mars’s words were just making Jagger press harder.  
“You know what Mars? You’re right! In fact, I’d kill you for nothing” I gagged; my legs were already becoming numb. 

 

“Jagger, step down now… this isn’t you” Zira said, I heard hurt in her voice. I knew that they had trained together from kithood, Zira must be feeling the most hurt out of all of us.  
But Jagger just laughed, “Zira, you know nothing about me. All these moons I’ve kept a mask, and you believed it”  
Zira shook her head, “Jagger… no. You don’t want to do this”  
I had no idea what they were doing, I was dying and they were just talking. “Help” I tried to yowl in frustration but nothing came out. At least I caught Jaggers attention, “I do want to do this. I want to kill all of you and to prove it… I’m going to kill Shyla… right… now”  
I felt my windpipe completely close, my eyes drifted up to see the sky. The stars were out, the clouds were cleared. Slowly, blackness invaded my vision.  
The pressure lifted, air filled my lungs with such force I retched.   
“Don’t every touch her again!”   
I turned to see Cole, his pelt covered in mud as he rolled around with Jagger. “Attack!” Mars yowled and the Phantom army raced forwards, clashing into the rogues.   
I staggered to my feet, crawling into the undergrowth to catch my breath. I looked at the battle; blood splattered the ground like rain. Caterwauls filled the air and fur flew. The rogues were brutal, using dirty moves like trying to gorge out eyes.  
But the Army was just as brutal. And stronger but there were more rogues… would it be enough?  
“Shyla!” I heard a loud whisper and whirled. Sparkle came out, her green eyes wide, “They’re fighting!” she meowed  
“No way” I growl, looking for an opportunity to leap into the battle  
“Jagger might die! You have to –“  
I whirl and shove her into the mud, “Jagger might die?! He killed Enya! He caused this battle!” I roar  
She stood, which surprised me. “I-I know, but I love him… I know he should die, I know he’s done terrible things but he’s still a cat!”  
I look at her without saying a word and turned, leaping into the thick of the battle. My first opponent was an old white tom. He leapt at me and I rolled onto my back, as he landed on me I used my powerful hind legs to flip him over just like Jagger once did to me.   
The old tom snarled, “The phantom army’s time is over! The rogues will rise again!”   
I spit, “Never”   
I let my instincts take over, slashing and dodging and whirling and leaping until he was a mess of mud, blood and fur. He backed down, “The rogues will win” he growled before running away. The rest of the cats were doing good, the rogues were backing down.   
I saw Cole fighting a she-cat. Did he already kill Jagger…? I wondered. Mars was fighting like a savage, slashing at everything in sight. I had never seem him so angry before, so fierce.   
“Shyla look out!” I heard the voice of Sparkles behind me and a weight landed on me. Once again, Jagger was above me. His muzzle was a mess of blood, his right ear was completely shredded, he had cuts and bites everywhere but he was still strong.   
“This ends now!” He screeched and went for a bite. I pummelled his stomach, feeling my claws already sink into flesh. Someone must’ve already shredded it before. He yowled in agony and rolled over. I get ready to crush his throat but Sparkles comes running, “No!” she cried. A much larger cat flung her away; Mars. “I will avenge Enya” He growled, shoving me behind him. Jagger stared up at him with real fear in his eyes, “no… Mars please”  
“You deserve no pity” Mars snarled and a sickening popping and crunching sound rang out as he crushed his neck with two massive paws. The cats quietened the fighting ceased. Mars turned, “Run away rogue scum! And never return!”  
The rogues hesitated but eventually turned tail, fleeing into the woods. The phantom army cats gathered around Jagger’s dead body. Even though he was a traitor, they bowed their heads in grief of the friend they lost. I myself felt grief; I had known Jagger since I was born. He had taught me the rules and trained me…  
I felt a tear spill.


	16. The True Heros

Cole walked beside me, he was breathing hard, blood soaked his black pelt. I looked up and saw sparkles in the bushes, not daring to come out but clearly distressed. “Come out” I croak and she hesitantly stepped closer, that step becoming a walk and that walk becoming a sprint. She knelt at his side, no one stopped her.   
“Jagger” She whimpered, “My Jagger”. “What will I do? What will I do without you? I love you”  
I force down a growl; I could hear everyone doing the same. “What will our kits do…”  
I bolt up “Kits?” I yowl as the words echoed inside me, “what will our kits do… our kits….”  
She stares at me, terrified. It couldn’t be, no, it just couldn’t. I stared at her, wanting to murder her right here.   
“You filthy bastard!” Zira screeched and started to chase her, stopping after a few fox lengths.  
“Run and never come back!” I hiss, my claws sunken into the wet earth. Zira crumpled, her body shuddering in grief and betrayal. I leaned against Cole, tears streaming down my cheeks freely.   
“He deserves to rot” Zira growled, her voice shaky, kicking dirt over Jagger’s limp body.   
Mars turned with his eyes closed, walking towards Enya’s dead body. I followed, almost having forgotten about her.   
Her red fur was matted with blood and rain. Her thick red blood had trickled down the sides of the stone, leaving trails of crimson. Mars laced his head beside Enya, “My sweet Enya, you have been avenged. May you travel with the stars and live a fairer life in the future.” He took a deep shaky breath, “I’ll miss you my sweet…”  
Once again, we all bowed our heads in true grief. Mars, who had never shed a tear for his whole life; cried into his mate’s fur, cursing Jagger with every foul word invented,  
I heard two small mews and turned. “Malikai!” I gasp, “And Ash!”   
The two small cats looked up at me with wide eyes, my blood began to boil but Cole stepped in front of me. “No Shyla, Malikai is the reason we won! He alerted us… he was following you and Ash was following him”  
I look down at the kittens, “You’re the reason I’m alive, we’re alive”   
I felt the cats gather and turned to look at Mars who was standing on the rock Enya was on. “Tonight we might have died; it was to Enya’s great sacrifice, Shyla’s great courage and two kit’s great bravery that we are alive” His eyes flickered to me and I sat straighter, smiling.   
Mars drooped his ears, “Let this night be a reminder to us of what battle can really do” he said louder, “however… we now need a new Lieutenant” his eyes found me and my heart quickened, “Shyla, I had never doubted your loyalty once, let’s hope it stays like that”   
The cats cheered at the good news and I felt overwhelming pride in my chest. This army isn’t about blood and killing and murder… this is about a family. A family that always stays strong no matter what has happened. My family. I rested my head on Cole’s chest, hearing his reassuring heart beat and smelling his scent I loved so much.


	17. Together

6 days later…   
I sat in my new room; it had never been used before. A large bed, smaller than Mars’s occupied most of the space. Large colourful windows arched on one side. It felt a lot like Mars’s room, almost like a mirror image. But I felt so lonely here; the room was far too big. That’s why Cole moved in. I sat up and jumped on the window sill while Cole still slept peacefully. We had seen no sign of Iscariot or Skye, we sent out as many patrols as we could but we were still recovering. Plus, the rogues are still out there. Sparkles would probably die, which I hoped for. Phantom Army cross kittypet was seen as shameful.  
All we could do was hope that non of them will ever make it to the four clans. Yes, we still plan to invade. It was the whole point of the army. But the goal seemed less… important now. We didn’t feel as thirsty for the blood of the clan cats anymore; we’ve already shed enough blood. I licked the bite on my arm tentatively. Bane was working like mad, he would check up on everyone twice a day. He and Azusa were close, rumour had it that she was already pregnant from Bane.   
Whisper and Modred were doing great too, I had already accidently caught them alone several times. Soon kits would be born and the phantom army would grow stronger.  
Malikai and Ash were growing up fast; they were already ready for training. Gospel and Myth had been promoted to officers and were enjoying their easy schedule but as soon as things are patched up they’ll be on full time duty. Petunia and Todd are still training; Todd actually passed the assessment but he wanted to stay back with his sister.   
I sighed, my breath fogging the cold window. Cole appeared beside me, his dark tabby pelt was criss crossed with scratches. “Hey” he said, stifling a yawn.   
I purr, “Hey”  
He looked at me for a while, “What?” I asked  
He purred in amusement, “You’re meant to give out orders, remember?”  
I blink, “Oh! Right, uh, tell Azusa that she’s still on training duty for Todd and Petunia and to go hunting too. Take Whisper and Modred with you but make sure Whisper’s paw is okay” Whisper had suffered a sprained paw with one of the rogues.”  
He purred, “I love it when you give out orders”  
I rested my head on his chest again, “And I love it when you compliment me”  
We sat there for a while, watching the sun rise together.  
Soon the phantom army would thrive and soon our purpose would be complete. But until then… we’ll just stay here for while longer in each other’s warm embrace.


End file.
